Well I’d certainly say do your best to make the background tidy. At least at first. This goes along with my rule: ‘Make small improvements with every video you make’.

With every video you make look at it after posting and ask the question: ‘What can I improve on?’. This might be something as simple as how you’re presenting, it could be what you’re wearing, it could be the camera or the lighting. But it could be the set or the props you’re using.

Look at your set, and think about what’s distracting? What could make it look more professional? What would make it fit in more with your brand? Then over time fix it until the background becomes as much a part of your videos as you.

There are loads of different ways to make great content, blogs, articles, podcasts, animated videos, but in my mind none build trust in quite the way that video does. You may feel I’m being hypocritical by writing a blog about this subject, but I’m actually repurposing all of this from a video that I made which you can see here:

The best way to build trust with video is to have a person in the video, ideally you. By putting yourself in the firing line you’ll make it easier for people to connect with you, to realise who you are and what you sound like. People take both audio and visual cues from a conversation. It’s a bit like when you’re reading a text, you can’t quite grasp the tone of the message, and if you’ll often project your own feelings onto it. It becomes a bit easier if you can hear them, but it becomes even easier if you can see them as well.

That’s exactly why you’ve got to bite the bullet and appear in your next video.

So, a few things to bear in mind that might give you an extra bit of confidence. When people first meet they look at four things:

1.What you’re wearing

I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘Dress Smart’ but I would say ‘Dress for the occasion’. Make sure you’re wearing what people expect you to be wearing.

2. The location you’re in

With video, you’re entirely in control of the location, so make sure the background is distraction free, it’s well lit and the focus is entirely on you.

3. Whether your posture matches theirs

A bit harder to do in video form, but use your common sense. Don’t slouch, don’t swing your arms about like a moody teenager, be natural.

4. If you mention a mutual acquaintance

This is a good one! You can mention people they’re likely to have heard of to underline a point you’ve made. If someone you both like/know and trust, they’ll be quicker to agree with you as well.

Keep an eye out for my future Video Shows. I’m always looking for ideas for future episodes, if you have a question for a future episode, put it in the comments below!

Once the realm of big businesses who could afford camera crews, production teams and TV airtime, video has become an affordable and powerful communication medium for all businesses. Websites and Social platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, Vimeo and Instagram have become very video-friendly and businesses are learning to exploit these “free to air” channels. Are you?

When is comes to making videos for business use on the various platforms available many do not really know what to produce. However, in essence there are just three types of video that every company should use, and in many ways these have unlimited content potential and can be reworked with fresh information to create a powerful and growing marketing tool.

The Business Overview

Most businesses have a “business overview” that has been written. This document is sometimes the “About Us” on a website or can be a document enclosed with a proposal or other communication sent out. These business overviews are great but a video showing your customers what you do, who you and why you are the best is even better. These videos are essentially an “explainer” that can be used just about anywhere.

Business overview videos are highly effective tools to communicate more about your business. You can have a short version and longer version depending on how you wish to use it. A short video crammed with the right information is a real attention grabber and is great for use of social media.

A business overview video needs to get your business across clearly and concisely and is the key to the success of using video in your business.

FAQs

As a business manager or owner there must be many questions you are asked time and again. People want to know what you do, how you or if you can address a problem they are facing or just want to know if a product can do this or that. The questions your prospects and clients ask you can become the starting point of this second type of video every business needs to have.

Taking a single question and creatively filming an answer will grab the attention of your audience. People prefer to watch than to read. These videos give you the chance to demonstrate your skills, expertise and knowledge. FAQ videos are not necessarily selling anything but are adding value. Of course, there will be ample chance to create calls to action but really you are beginning to grow an online, video self-help solution for your clients, prospects and interested parties that makes you the go-to source and preferably supplier of your product or service.

The Happy Customer

Testimonials from happy customers have been the best way of promoting a business since business began. Referral business is often called the most valuable business and video can be used to take this to a new level.

Case study and testimonial videos are great for demonstrating how you helped someone. The videos can showcase a product, your services and so much more. There is a bonus here too as your clients can also reap some extra exposure. The key to the success of getting a good case study video is to make it part of your contract with a client. Firstly, this encourages you to do a good job, you don’t want to film a bad job, and secondly it gets client buy-in from the beginning. These videos become excellent sales tools and can grow the credibility of your company.

Customer testimonial or case study videos need a little thinking and planning but are straightforward, and indeed enjoyable, to make, and when planned for every happy customer content is easily available.

Get started with Video

Any business can make use of video as a marketing platform, have a look at what your competition is doing (or not doing) and you can see sales increase and credibility rise.

If you want to know more contact us and we can give your business the competitive edge when it comes to making video work for your business.

I’m making a video about how to stand out using video online. To be honest, it was a lot easier 5 years ago, two years ago, probably even a year ago.

Today, there is SO MUCH video content swilling around on social media, how the hell do you stand out?

My tactic (and the one I share with my customers) is to be genuine and give genuine value. If you stop to watch the vast amount of DIY videos (or even some professionally shot videos) online they often have one thing in common… they don’t really have a point to them, they deliver little or no value and aren’t very visually interesting to watch.

Give your viewers something they want to watch.

If you make your videos as interesting as possible (that means visually and content wise) they’ll seek you out, they’ll sit down with their cup of tea at the end of the day and sit and WATCH your videos.

The trick is, this takes a lot more time than just chatting away to the camera on your phone as you sit in your car at the end of your networking meeting. Put the effort in to THINKabout quality content. Use your loaf and spend a bit of time on the videos you’re making.

I’m writing this as I’m about to take on a 30 Day Video Challenge, which I’ll be forced to come up with fresh content every single day. So please please please have a go at me if you don’t think I’m putting the effort in to come up with good valuable content.

Last week I had a meeting with somebody, basically to find out how we can help eachother. But whilst explaining what we do here at Red Book Productions, I was surprised to hear:

‘Oh I didn’t know you do that, that’s not that clear from your website’

To be honest, I was quite taken aback by this, as I thought the whole process of ‘what we do’ was pretty clear. But it got me thinking, am I being that clear? Am I really telling people how we can help? And if I’m not, is that having a negative impact on my business?

It’s helped me stop to think over the past few days, so much so that I’ve set some time aside this week to spend some time working on how I can improve my messaging. Firstly through my videos (The Video Show) and at places like networking.

What is it that businesses want? Am I making it clear what I can help with? Am I making it really easy for them to find out and to get in contact when they’re ready?

I’d love to know if you have gone through a similar process in your business. Do you have your messaging spot on? Or are you finding it a bit tough for people to find out what you do.

Take a look at my websites and let me know what you think I do… I’d love to know how we’re being perceived from fresh eyes: http://www.redbookproductions.co.uk/ and https://www.videotoolkit.co.uk/